Gypsy Blood
by Azure Dragon of the North
Summary: A sabbat vampire with a shady past, gets caught in a web that he cannot escape. Not even in undeath.


Everynight had become a blur of light and sound for me. All the faces like a wash of color on a black background. The constant moving and shuffling from one city to another, the rush of danger when we crossed the border of our lands. One night it all changed.   
  
It was just after midnight on a Tuesday when I found out about my previous family. The three sisters and mother that I had abandoned eight years ago. My gang and I were just exiting a grimy joint infested with the rough men of dark streets and darker pasts. It was Kodiak who noticed her first. Her face hadn't changed much over the years. She still had the pixie like beauty that my mother had been famous for. The rich shade of blue eyes that made you stare deeply into them.   
  
"Hey Cibran someone's checkin' you out."   
  
To this day I don't know why I looked over, pehaps a reminant from my previous exstance. But how was I supposed to know it would lead to a blast from the past? But as I met her eyes and recognized the color, I was reminded of all that I had left behind.   
  
"Sable, what are you doing here?" As I asked the question I was aware of the others around me. They were listening and watching with rapt interest to every word.   
  
Slowly she approached, as though she could feel what I was, her clothes dark and stylish. Her hair up in a pony tail that brushed her shoulders. There was a hint of the grace that came from ballet training.   
  
"I heard you were in town," She said softly, " I was wondering if you knew about Delmira."  
  
I shrugged and felt the leather of my coak stretch with it. " Nope, haven't heard a thing, why?"   
  
My eyes caught the shift in her expression, the sudden tigthening of her lips, the rise in her breathing. But I said nothing and let the silence extend even more.   
  
"Look Cibran if you can find the time, just stop by the University hospital." Sable kept her eyes averted from mine as she spoke.   
  
"Why?" I asked before I could think of what I was saying. " What are you doing here Sable?"   
  
She shrugged her shoulders and glanced at me. " Just go okay? She has been asking to see you for the last three days."   
  
That starlted me, why would she ask for me? Of all the people she knew, why ask for me? Better yet, how did Sable know to find me here? All of these questions were loud in my head as I looked at her. It took an elbow from Kodiak to snap me into reality. A quick shake of my head loosened the questions and I took a needless breath.   
  
"If I can find the time."   
  
Sable looked as though she wanted to ask something, but stopped herself. " Yeah okay." Was all she said, before she turned and appeared to vanish into a darkly lit alley.   
  
"What was that about?" Kodiak asked we got onto his bike.   
  
"I don't know," Settling into the leather of my seat, I looked back at the alley. " How did she find me here?"   
  
As Kodiak brought his bike to life he shouted over it. " Karma, man. It's all about Karma."   
  
I looked over at him as he said those words, for a moment I feared that he had read my mind. For those were my exact thoughts, it was my past coming to get me. And that was what chilled my cold blood in my still heart.   
  
**  
  
Four days later found me at a local hang out, loud rock made by our kind drowned conversation. I was nestled between two females that had latched onto me. My eyes closed and my mind relaxed, there was no stress here. No mask or play to be part of, just a moment of peace. In the past I had kept myself too busy to have moments of like this. There was a reason for that, a reason that hadn't been an issue for eight years. But tonight as I sat at peace I was reminded of that reason. At first it came in a slow wash of white and gray color, over powering the black of my mind. Fingers of technicolor streaked through it forming shapes and images. Slowly faces took shape and texture. They were faces I hadn't seen for eight years, and ones I had never seen before. In colors too bright to be real I found myself in a room with harsh lights. A single bed lay amid half closed curtains, machines beeped and kept check on the person. Their feet were visable under a hospital blanket. Cuts of deep red showed on the soles, they were missing their small toe on the left foot. A defect that had been there since birth. Pulling aside the curtain I was taken back a moment. Laying under the too bright lights, with tubes in her arms and viens, was my sister. Her dark hair was long and looked unwashed, there were dark lines on her face. Her mouth was lined and looked scared, she made small sounds of fear. Cautiously I approached her and held out a hand. Something made me stop, I looked over to my right and there she was. Her body was sourrounded by a pale blue light, her face pale and unmarred. Memorising blue eyes smiled at me and she held out a slim white hand.   
  
"Cibran," Her voice was a soft whisper, " I have been longing to see you," She smiled at me and I returned it, " You have changed big brother, you are very different."   
  
I opened my mouth and found I could speak. " Why did you bring me here Delmira?"   
  
"I didn't," Her smile faded, " Something else brought you here, a subconscious link. Did Sable find you?"   
  
"Yes." I said and saw her look at the prone form on the bed. " You sent her didn't you?"   
  
"No brother I did not." Delmira sighed and looked at me, " She went you because you called for her."   
  
All I could do was stare into those eyes and remember. My past rose up like a giant monster of creation and demanded that I notice it. "Edelmira why are you doing this?"   
  
" I don't know," She said, her voice was like a soft cry, " Please Cibran, I have to get out of this. Please come."   
  
"Del I don't know how to help you," I said gently and reached for her, she jumped away and met my eyes again. A moment before they had been dark blue pools, now they were black. Her expression grew fearful and terrified, she threw up a hand.  
  
"Please!" She cried, " You are the only I can reach out to."   
  
It was then that everything turned bad, I rached for her and she screamed again. But it wasn't just a scream, it was a wave of feeling. A force of energy that hurtled into me and refused to stop. Against my will I was shoved from where ever I was, a door slammed shut and I was in my body again. Blinking my eyes made me see Kodiak, made me focus on the long brown mane. The lights and the silence that weighed heavily on my ears. He shouted again, I saw his lips move and I could feel the pressure of his hands on my arms.  
  
"Cibran!"   
  
Lifting a hand I pushed him back and he let go, slowly I sat up and sucked in a breath. Several seconds passed before he touched me again, this time it was to make me look at him. His brown-green eyes blazed with intense energy, curls of brown hair fell into his face.   
  
"Listen to me man, what just happened to you?"   
  
"What do you mean?" I asked roughly and found my throat still worked. "We need to go to the hospital."   
  
He grinned, fangs gleamed in the strobing lights, " Still fleshy huh?" His expression grew dark as he stared into my eyes. " Shit man you looked spooked."   
  
"I have to see Edelmira, it's the only way." Part of me remembered her face as she screamed at me, part of me cringed at the thought of telling my sire.   
  
Kodiak was quiet for a long moment, " We have a job to do here Cibran.But I'll give ya three days, clean up your mess by then."  
  
Coming to my feet was differcult but I managed, no one stopped as I staggered to the stairs. Kodiak and the others didn't follow me as I walked out. I had three days to myself and that was more then enough. Or so I thought. As the cold night touched my face I looked up to the sky and closed my eyes again. I knew where to find Delmira and I knew what I would face. You could only run for so long before time caught up to you.   
  
**  
  
There is a constant smell in really clean places, it's like there is an absensce of smell. An emptiness of life. It struck me as odd how a place that was supposed to save life, smelled of death. As I stood in a metal enclosed square with two other people, I was reminded of that again. The last time I had been in a hospital I had died, now I stood in one and was still dead.   
  
We stopped moving and the doors opened, on this floor there was no rush or hurry. A nurses desk was to my center and two corridors on either side. I went left and walked to the end of the hall, passed closed doors. It wasn't visitng hours so there was no one to see me. Turning right I went down two doors and paused at one. It was then that I allowed myself to see where I was. Until then I had blocked my eyes from anything and just focused on getting to her. Now I let myself see everything. The fourth floor in a hospital, a floor dedicated to materturnity and post-paturinity. Anger was deep inside as I opened her door. Silent shadows welcomed me, there were two other beds, both dark and silent. One had a soft glow of light and the sounds of machines. It was near a window that had the blinds open, starlight filtered through.   
  
My feet moved me to the foot of her bed and I stared at her face. It was calm and placid with deep sleep, tubes kept her alive as she rested. Walking to the right I sat in the small chair that looked like it hadn't been used. Sat down and took her too pale hand. It was cold and I could barely feel a pulse. Gently I dropped my walls and reached out for her. It was like stepping into a cold storm after being inside all day, sharp pain made me stop. There was no color or shape to anything, just black space. Slowly I reached out. I had not done this for eight years but it was easy to do. Eldemira had always been the strongest of the three, her presence had been like a wave of light. No matter where she was, people had always paused when she walked into a room, lost their trains of thought when she started to speak.   
  
Now as I reached out into that cold space, I felt only a tremor of that light. A dying flame of life. The harder I tried the weaker that flame felt to me. As I moved foward there was nothing but darkness, the landscape was flat and endless on all sides. It was as if my sister had vanished from existance.   
  
"Cibran?"   
  
Starlted by the voice I looked over and saw Nadia, or at least her astral self. Withdrawing from the landscape of my youngest sister's mind, I saw my eldest sister staring at me. She looked beautiful in the dim light and I smiled softly.   
  
Hi Nadia,"   
  
She relaxed and I saw her lack of sleep, she hugged herself and looked at Delmira. " She's been empty for three weeks now, it's like having the baby took her life."   
  
"I saw that." My voice was soft and I felt sad. " Sable said she had been asking for me the last three days."   
  
Nadia nodded, " When she appears it's in silence. But lately she had been asking for you."   
  
"Nadia? Who are you talking to?"   
  
I was starlted to see my cousin walk in, he looked just as surprised to see me. Rohen had aged wonderfully and was as dark and handsome as his father. He had the typical coloring of dark curls and golden skin. Bottomless black eyes and strong features.   
  
"Hey Cibran, I didn't know you were in town." He said stiffly and put his arm around Nadia, " Want to join us for a drink?"   
  
There was no point to stay so I rose and joined them. The three of us settled into a waiting lounge and drank vending machine cokes. I didn't really drink mine, just held the cold can and watched the two people infront of me. Nadia cuddled against Rohen and he rested his chin against her head.  
  
"Where have you been these years?" He asked finally.   
  
"All over, I went to Europe for a while then came back to the States. When did you guys get married?"   
  
He smiled softly, " Three years ago, our daughter Amanda was the flower girl."   
  
I smiled and tried to nod, my head refused to move. As I stared at the couple I thought of my mother and wanted to ask about her, I wanted to ask about everyone and everything. But my mouth wouldn't work and I found that I only wanted to sit with Delmira.   
  
"Uh, Ci there are somethings you should be aware of." Rohen said tightly and sat a little stiffer. " Delmira isn't married and she refused Valeska when he asked. She's been pretty much outted by the family. But there are a few of us who are sticking by her." He paused and took a breath, " Just so you know, they are going to expect you to declare Rite of Consort."   
  
"Me?" I nearly dropped the can, " Why?"   
  
Rohen looked at me very steadily, " She's unmarried and has a child, that breaks every code that we live by! With you here and alive that means you have to declare it."   
  
My head shook no, while my mouth said, " Forget it! I came because-"   
  
"Because she called for you," Nadia sat up, " Exactly, you are the person who can help her now. The family has closed the doors on her, like they did with you."  
  
I wanted to aruge with them, to explain why I couldn't help. But I fell silent and just shook my head again and again. Putting aside my can I made myself take a breath and try to answer them. Even before I opened my mouth I could tell Rohen had written me off.   
  
"Look you two, I want nothing to do with this. I have three days before I am expected back, there is no way in hell I can go back with a teenage mother. Even if I could do it, I wouldn't. Edelmira deserves better then I can ever offer."   
  
Nadia seemed to consider my words, but Rohen glared daggers at me. I could tell he wasn't going to listen to me, just like my entire family wouldn't listen. By refusing my duty a second time, I was desgracing the family all over again. I stood to go and stopped dead, standing just feet from the elevators was Kodiak and Johann. I felt my stomach twist and suddenly was worried. As they walked over to me I glanced at my sister and her husband. Nadia had sensed them and was watching them with caution. Rohen glared at them.   
  
"Sorry to break in pal, but we have a situation." Kodiak said as he came up to me. Not even sparing the two humans a glance.   
  
"Yeah," I said and sighed, " I figured as much, can I have a minute?"   
  
He shook his head, " No time we are already late."   
  
"Rohen!"   
  
I looked at the elevators and saw my other cousins and my last sister appear. The man who had shouted was Valeska, the eldest of Rohen's eight brothers. He stood just short of six feet eight inches, and was about as wide. His hair was thick and long and rampent with curls. His entire being throbbed with contained anger. I could see why Delmira had turned him down. He was obnoxious and loud, pushy and in your face, a rolling force of pulsing force. She was a quiet calmness, a cool wash of life.   
  
He stormed up and suddenly became aware of me, his dark eyes flared with recognition. I could see him take in all the details and felt my old emotions surface. The rage and contempt of him. Valeska and I had always fought as children and right up to the night I left as teenagers. He hated me and I hated him. But it stemmed mostly from the fact that Edelmira had been Choosen instead of the single female of his family. Valeska and Rohen had come from the previous royality that had ruled the family. It boiled their blood that trailer trash like my sister had been the one selected.   
  
"Well looky here boys," Valeska snarled, " Cibran decided to reappear." He stared at the two men behind me and his eyes narrowed, " Brought your friends huh?"   
  
My fist clutched as spoke, it was the iron like grip on my shoulder that stopped me. The pressure of a hand that had crushed a man's skull, that held me back. Nothing else on earth would have stopped me. Valeska lost some of his force when he looked at me. I knew what he saw there, it was similar to what a person sees when they look into a starving animal's eyes. It was a look of pure rage and hunger that transcended humanity. He knew just as I did that I would kill him.   
  
"Everyone just chill out!" Nadia orderd and came to her feet. " Valeska what are doing here?"   
  
He blinked and looked away from me, " Dad sent me to find where you guys stand."   
  
Nadia looked at me, I made myself relax and look at her, " Cibran it's up to you."   
  
"I haven't declared anything, nothing's up to me." I stated coldly.   
  
Nadia didn't blink once, " So you don't want to declare Rite of Consort?"   
  
I shook my head, " No."  
  
Her eyes darkned for a moment before she nodded and looked back at Valeska. " I'll speak to the doctors and this will be resolved by dawn."   
  
"Good." He said gruffly and headed to the the vending machines, his flunkies followed.   
  
Nadia looked at me, " You're free to go Cibran, we no longer need you." With that she turned and went to the nurses station. There was a cloud of sadness around her as she went.   
  
Kodiak squeezed my shoulder and we left. It wasn't until the elevator doors closed that he spoke to me. " What the hell was that in there? You just about frenzied on that asshole."   
  
"He and I have always hated each other, it was just a reflex." I sighed and rubbed my eyes. " God things have changed."   
  
"So that was your family?" Johann asked me.   
  
I nodded, " That was my sister Nadia and her husband, the tall guy was his brother. They are my cousins. For the most part that was everyone, there are about three dozen people who I...was related to, but they weren't there. Thank God for that."   
  
Kodiak stared at me, " So what's up with that Delmira person?"   
  
"She gave birth three weeks ago and fell into a coma. If I remember right she would be just nineteen years old." I said it all without really believing it.   
  
"What does that have to do with you?" He asked harshly.   
  
I sighed, " She's my youngest sister."   
  
He frowned at me and shook his head, " This is why I am glad all my family is dead. No hassels from anyone."   
  
Looking at him I smiled softly, " I thought you were an only child."   
  
He laughed then, slapping me on the shoulder. " My boy I came from a time when having just eight kids was considered small."  
  
The doors stopped and out we strolled, as we passed by the directory for the hosiptal I froze. Not standing ten feet from me was Delmira. She looked to be lost and trying to read the lit up board. Her finger moved along the map and paused, her shoulders lifted and dropped as she sighed. Thick black hair hair fell loose over her shoulders and down her back. She wore a sleeveless shirt, the family tattoos were visable. I stared at the one on the back of her right shoulder it was the crest of the Queen. A three pointed crown with a phenoix in the center, it's firey wings formed two of the points, a sword formed the third. The symbols of my family... of my clan. The phenoix stood for enternal life, rejuvination. The sword for strength, justice and the crown for royality and power.   
  
"Cibran?"   
  
I blinked and she was still there, I could see the other tattoos now. There was the Latin word for night, the Greek for love and various symbols for knowledge, wisdom and eternity. As I took in the mark of the Queen again, I felt tears in my eyes. Blood tears for the life I had given up. I have never learned anything but the barest estentials about my culture, heritage and history. But now as I stood there, seeing that mark on my sister, I felt a craving so strong it hurt. I wanted to know what she knew, to drink in the knowledge she had. I wanted to be next to her and hold her.   
  
"Earth to Cibran."   
  
Kodiak punched me in the arm and I looked at him, my tears fell and I wiped them away, at his frown. " What?"   
  
He glared at me for a moment, " What were you staring at?"   
  
"You didn't-" I stopped, they woulnd't see her, for she wasn't really there. It was just a vision, a moment in time when I was forced to accept what I could not. " I just saw something. Let's go."   
  
We left the hospital and drove into the night, but I couldn't shake loose my feelings. I knew then what I had feared since the day I left. That I was now going to face the skeletons of my past, no more running or forgetting. My karma had circled round and it was time to pay my dues. The terror in me stemed from the fact that it wasn't going to effect just me, but every single member of my clan and all we interacted with.   
  
**  
  
Kodiak kept silent about the hospital and so did I. We had come here to do a job, nothing else. The whole pack, all eight memebers, sat at a round table, face to toe with another pack. All of us knew the same information, we were discussing strageties for dealing with it. Sixteen men sat and brainstormed about how best to deal with a rogue.   
  
A rogue was a vampire who had decided to rebel against the rules. They had struck out on their own to live their own lives and piss on authroity. Usually they were a threat to the security of our ways of life and were a annoyence. But this one had outdone himself. Not only was he a stone in everyone's shoe, he was becoming a nusuience for the mortal authorities. From the information that we had gathered, he had a flare for leaving his kills in public places. Having eight bodies in a week show up in playgrounds, swimming pools and hanging from street lights, didn't go over well with anyone. So we were assigned with bringing him in. All sixteen of us were charged to use any and all force to stop him.   
  
"So aside from ripping up an entire city, have we got any ideas?" Qualein, the pack leader for the second group asked. He sounded as annoyed as all were. " Can anyone come up with something?"  
  
"Why don't we break for a bit?" One of the others asked, " Some of us are really hungry here." There were shouts of agreement from around the table and I had to agree.   
  
Qualein looked at Kodiak and he shrugged, " Sure we all need a few minutes anyway. Be back in an hour and be ready to think of something. We are running short on time, this son of a bitch hasn't stopped killing people."   
  
The room cleared in a flood as they all ran for the door, I remained seated even though I wanted to follow. Kodiak looked over at me and asked the question he had been wanting to ask for hours.   
  
"So what is this Rite of Consort thing?"   
  
Folding my hands over I took a minute and thought. " Are you at all familiar with Gypsies?"   
  
He shook his head, " No why?"   
  
"My father and my mother, just like their fathers and mothers, and the rest of the three hundred and eighteen members of my family, are Gypsy. We descended from a clan that came from the high mountains of Romania, back in the Old Days. Some one hundred and five years ago we came over to America. They brought with them the ways of our family, of our history. Just as the Kindred live by their own laws, so did we. Our laws took prescident over public laws, we grew up with our own people, went to our own schools. Just as we had our own laws we had our own justice. The person who served that justice and upheld the collective family was the Queen. A woman, who is Choosen by the higher powers, to lead us. She is born every two generations, sometimes in the same family, but mostly in different families. That single woman holds within her mind the history and knowledge of our people, all the way back to the beginning. Her powers are beyond what anyone can possibiliy learn in a lifetime and she is the embodiment of all that we are."   
  
"What does that have to do with you and this rite thing?" He asked again.   
  
I nodded, " When a Queen is choosen her eldest brother is declared her Consort. Their role is to be a protector, a councillor and if needed a husband. Since they are brother and sister they cannot mate, but the Queen can mate with another man, as long as she is married."   
  
Kodiak was quiet for a moment, his eyes darkened and then flared brightly. " So your sister is the Queen and your her Consort?"   
  
"Right,"   
  
"But Nadia is married."   
  
I found it hard to continue and struggled with my next words, " Nadi isn't Queen. Delmira is, that is why everyone is so upset. Just as I defied our laws, so is she. The real trouble comes from the fact that she is Queen. She is the hand of justice, the heart and soul of our entire people. Delmira isn't supposed to break the laws, she is supposed to uphold them."   
  
"How has she broken the laws?" He asked, listening closely to me.   
  
"Edelmira gave birth without being married. She broke the the most cherished of all our laws."   
  
He thought a minute, " So how is this like what you did?"   
  
I paused, " I was eighteen when I left the family. No man has left unmarried from the family in five hundred years. Add in the fact that my sister was the Queen and I was her Consort and it looked really bad. I broke our laws, just as she has."   
  
He grinned suddenly and laughed sharply, " Amazing how siblings follow us huh?" He sobered and looked very steadily at me. " So why is everyone upset with you?"   
  
"Delmira's position as Queen can be revoked, although it's theoritcally not possible, the modern generation, the one she is supposed to be ruling over, can choose another Queen. It goes back to our laws again. Everyone is angry with me because I should have stayed, had I done so she would probablly marry me and none of this would be happening. But as it stands they still believe I am alive, so they are calling for me to make a deceison. Had I declared Rite of Consort tonight, Delmira would still be Queen."   
  
"So you are responsible for her?" He asked me.   
  
My answer was slow in coming. " I used to be, yes. But not now, I am no longer her brother."   
  
Kodiak frowned and stared hard at me for a long time. " How does that work?"   
  
"My blood is yours now, so I am no longer 'by blood' her brother." It sounded simple and it was. But he seemed to be having trouble with it. " Think of it this way. When we in Embrace someone they become our childe, so by Embracing me I moved from being her brother to being your childe."   
  
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, " Well it's definaltely complex, but then again most families are. Just tell me this much." He paused a moment, " What happened in the club and the hospital?"   
  
"Everyone in the family has psychic powers to an extent. I have the ability to mentally contact my sisters, on occasions I have visions of things. Since I joined you guys they haven't really happend. But tonight I had two of them in a row, I think it's because I am so close to Delmira. She may not be my Queen by blood anymore, but part of me is still connected to her."   
  
Kodiak watched me closely and chewed her lips. " What this be worse if she was conscious?"   
  
"I don't know." I said automatically. " In the eight years I have been with you I've had at most five visions, none of which are of had any impact on us."   
  
" Interesting." He stood and stretched his arms to the ceiling. " I must say kid, that you are a mystery to me, as much today as you were eight years ago. But at least now I can understand why."  
  
I smiled nad was glad he was accepting my sketchy answers, " Thanks."   
  
"Just be sure you keep your priorities straight and you won't get any grief from me." He said and left the room.   
  
  
Silence fell heavily around me and I was grateful for it. In the last few hours my life had become more complicated then ever. Not only was I hunting a rogue vampire, but there was a chance something could happn with my family. There was nothing that I could think of that they would possibly interferre in, but then again, this was my family. Anything was possible.   
  
**  
  
Night shadows stretched out around us as we walked through a park. It was just after two in the morning and we were tracking down the rogue. The rest of the group was spread out through the next four blocks. He had a habit of hunting around here so we were here. So far there had been nothing. As I walked with Kodiak and one other guy, from the second pack, we kept our senses open for anything. A radio buzzed under Kodiak's coat as we kept in contact. We cut through a grove of trees and came upon an open space with tables and a huge fountain in the center. Moonlight mixed with streetlight and fell in a jumble of colors to the dark grass below. Paiting the foutain in grays, blues and oranges. Water sparkled like clear diamonds, reflecting back the starry sky and trees. It was perfectly still and quiet in this place, not even vegrants or birds. Perhaps that's what made me pause and look around again.   
  
"What's up?" The guy asked me and I waved him to silence.   
  
Even now I couldn't tell you what it was that made me stop. It was just happening and I was forced to let it. But as I stood there something happened to me. My eyes closed a second and when they opened the world was different. I was seeing the same thing but Delmira was standing there. She stood with her back to me, kneeling at the fountain with her hands in the cold water. I knew it was cold because I could feel it. I also knew that the rogue was hiding in the water where her hands were. He knew we were there and was waiting for us to leave. My eyes moved from Delmira to the sky above me and the trees around me. They all held life and engery, things which were at my sisters call and forces which were older then time. Looking back at the fountain, saw her rise to her feet and hold up her hands, they were dripping with blood. Thick red drops fell to the stone and she held them to the sky. The blood flowed down her pale arms and soon covered her entire body. I wasn't quite sure what I was seeing, I couldn't understand what it was trying to tell me. I stared at her and saw her looking up, following her my eyes took in the stars. They moved and I watched as they came together and formed a symbol. A sign from my language, it was like a captial E combined with a capital D at it's back. A cirlce of glowing stars went around it and I found myself unable to understand what it was. My eyes closed again and I found the world found the world normal when I opened them again.   
  
"What are you standing around for?" The guy hissed at me.  
  
I looked at him and lifted a finger to my lips, " The rogue is in the fountain, he's been hunting us."   
  
Kodiak moved to radio the others and I stopped him, he stared at me and understood. Looking at the other guy he sent him back while hid behind a cluster of bushes. It was then that he looked at me and I could tell he was worried.   
  
"You had another vision right?" He asked in a hushed tone.   
  
"Yeah," I whispered and peeked over the top, the rogue was still waiting us out.   
  
Kodiak shook his head and cursed softly, " Anything I should know about?"   
  
I looked over at him and found myself smiling, " Don't worry Kodi, if anything happens, I'll tell you."   
  
After a few minutes we heard the water part, both of us looked over and saw the rogue appear. He climbed out and looked around. Water dripped off his dark clothes and he shook himself. As his face came into light my heart flipped over, I knew that face like it was my own! Kodiak sprang forward, shadows followed him as he ran forward. I could say nothing in warning as he charged the man. Instead I stayed hidden and hoped it was just another vision. There was a sound of someone getting hit and another person shouting. I looked and found it was Kodiak who was winning. The rogue was down but not out, instead he was on his hands and knees, blood dripped from his mouth. As I stood up I was hit with a wave so powerful I staggered. Kodiak was lifted up and tossed away like a leaf. I stood and watched with terror as the rogue called the elements to him. Summoning winds and clouds, shadows and night bent to him and he held them in his palms.   
  
"Jurden!" I shouted and ran forward, " Stop, stop this!"   
  
He looked up at me and I knew that I was dead, even as he lifted a hand and the winds increased. As my feet left the ground and I was hurled into a large oak, I knew that we would loose. He wasn't just a vampire, he was a "Grajlon" vampire. A man from my family who had been cursed by the Queen for a crime. Laying on the grass and feeling blinding pain I knew that were going to die and he would remain. For the powers we had were drops in an ocean that was his command.   
  
"Holy shit!" Someone shouted as the others arrived, "What the hell is that?"   
  
My eyes fell closed and I lost all sensation, only the wash of my own feeling of grief as I drifted away on it.   
  
**  
  
Time had no way of reaching me so when I awoke I was confused for a moment. Not at the familiar faces or the bright lights of a basement cell, but at the feeling that it had been years. Slowly I sat up and searched for a calanader, there wasn't one so I had to let it go. Kodiak crouched down and took my jaw in one tight grip, his eyes were empty as he stared at me.   
  
"So kid, who was he?"   
  
My tongue felt like wool as I tried to speak. " Jourden was my uncles son, he's another of those cousins that I have so many of."   
  
Kodiak nodded and let my jaw go, " What about the powers he has?"   
  
"Gorjan can't be defeated by regular vampires. In the two that have ever been created, it took the creator to destroy them."   
  
The second pack leader dropped into view. " What is a Gorjan?"   
  
"A man of the family that has been cursed into being a vampire." I said it as my brain began to function again. " The Queen is the only one who can make them, and only when an extreme crime has been commited."   
  
"What's he going on about?" The man asked Kodiak.   
  
He rose as he spoke, " Cibran comes from a Gypsy descent, apparently they are goverened by a woman of massive power, who is called the Queen."   
  
One of the guys around us spoke up, " I've heard of them, they aren't people you mess with. They're like the President of the U.S. or something. Apparently the whole lot of them would die before letting harm come to this one person. "   
  
Kodiak looked down at me and sighed, " Well Cibran any ideas on why she made this guy?"   
  
I shook my head and it didn't hurt, " Like I said, it's only in extreme crimes. Even then they are better off just executing the person rather then cursing them."   
  
"Okay so we find this Queen and get her to undo whatever the hell she did." The second guy said sharply.   
  
"It's not that easy, " I stood up and found I was pretty much okay, except for being hungry, " For the last three weeks the Queen has been in a coma."   
  
The guy snarled and glared at me, " Alright genius, you got a better plan?"  
  
Before I could answer the door to the cell opened and one of the neonates looked in. He stared directly at me as he spoke. "There are three men upstairs with business for you Cibran."   
  
"Business?" I frowned and suddenly realized who it would be. " Oh shit."   
  
Not letting Kodiak or anyone else question me I followed the man upstairs. The main floor of the haven was a rock themed bar. Sitting on one of five black velvet couches, with their backs to the bar and stage to their left were Rohen, Lottie and Xano. From the badges on the sleeves of their coats I could identify then as Guards, other wise known as Sherifs. Someone had called them to politcal action against me.  
  
I sat down across from them and Rohen immediatly handed me a black envelope, sealed on the front in gold was an E and D back to back with a cirlce of stars around it. Suddenly I knew what it meant. My hands dropped it and I sat back against the couch. Lottie spoke first, his tone was solemn and quiet.   
  
"Araceli Cibran Rhyshard, brother of our Queen, child of Marianna and Gerard Rhyshard, you are here by declared by Nigel Valeska Kindor, suitor of our Queen, child of Elenor and Xavier Tryland, to be of traitorous intentions." He said it all very calmly. " How do you respond?"   
  
For a moment I was tongue tied, they were actually charging me with being a traitor. I, the brother to their Queen, a vampire to the Sabbat, and they were charging me with a life forfetting crime. It made me want to laugh and at the same time rip them to shreds. As the silence stretched I looked at Rohen and he met my eyes.   
  
"What of my sister, what of the Queen you say you serve?" I asked harshly.   
  
"She is at peace," Was his answer to me, as flat and empty as a cardboard box.   
  
The quickness with which I grabbed his throat, the feeling of my fingers digging into his windpipe, it all surprised me for a moment. Then I managed to speak. " You son of a bitch! You were her protector!"   
  
He managed to speak to me despite the hold on him. " She was your Consort, Araceli. My job was preceeded by you. When you refused to declare your Rite, her reign was terminated. There was no one to protect her."   
  
"Cibran stop it!" Kodiak removed my hand from it's hold and put a hand on my shoulders. " What is this about?"   
  
Xeno nodded to the black envelope. " We are formally declaring what has already been decided. Araceli Ryhshard is being asked to forfet his life and join his Consort in death."   
  
There was silence and no one even breathed in, even I went stone still as I heard him actually say it. Rohen sighed and lost all the formality. " Listen Cibran, you know it was the only way. Delmira couldn't do her job, she was never strong enough. It kills me to have to fess up to her death and your impending death, but that is the way of it. I am sorry."   
  
I looked at him and managed a nod, " Is that what you told Jourden as you put him away? You say she wasn't strong enough, but she passed Red Death on him."   
  
Rohen looked away and sighed, " Jourden was a different matter, I was only his jailor not his executioner."   
  
A laugh came out of me and I saw him jump. " You would kill me? The man who married my sister would kill me?"   
  
"So you admit to your crimes?" Lottie asked me dryly.   
  
Kodiak glared at him, " No."   
  
"Face it Cibren," Rohen said slightly harshly, " It's over."   
  
As he spoke I stopped listening to him, to anything. My eyes burned a moment and then stopped, I wasn't sitting in the couch anymore, I was standing outside under the stars. Beside me was Edelmira, she was eleven and I was fifteen. There were tears in her eyes and she was fighting them. It was the night I had left.   
  
"Araceli I don't want you to go," She had said while crying, " But it's what you must do, I can't stop that. Even I can't stop the human heart from what it wants."   
  
"Don't worry Khalida I'll be back one day. Then we can both leave and live our way." I had said it so rashly.   
  
She had laughed softly at me, " Not in this life time. But that's for later, go now brother and always look to the stars for me."   
  
With that she had blessed him and his journey, turned and walked back to the house. Leaving him at the road without a backward look or a goodbye. She had been Queen even then. As he had walked away from his family and his duty, she had just blessed him and let him go. Knowing full well what lay ahead of him, what would happen and knowing that she couldn't stop it. She had been a Queen long before he had ever been a man.   
  
"Rohen are you sure about her death?" I asked it very quietly, " Absolutely without a doubt positive she is dead?"   
  
He blinked and looked confused a moment, " What do you mean?"   
  
I sat foward and picked up the envelope, " I think you are the one gulity of treason my friend. For the Queen lives and you have just signed your death warrent."   
  
Rohen looked at Lottie and Xeno, they shrugged and shook their heads. Looking back at me, I had to smile at his expression. He looked somewhere between shocked and scared. It was then that I let him see my fangs, he paled badly.   
  
"You see Rohen, because she preformed the Red Death on someone, she cannot die until they do. It's one of those magical law things." I laughed and he shuddered. " So according to our laws I am still Consort to the Queen and you my cousin are dead."   
  
For a moment he was speechless and looked deathly white, then he jumped up and turned to run. The pack was there to block him and he screamed. Kodiak wasted no time with killing him. It only took a few mintues for his life to end. I watched it all with a contented grin and found myself strangly happy. As his body fell to the floor I looked at his dead eyes and was reminded of my sister. Not only was Nadia now a widow, but Valeska could marry her and get hold of some of that power he was so hungry for. It bothered me to know that was going to happen.   
  
"Bring him, " I said and stood up, grabbing my coat I left haven with the two packs following me.   
  
My feet moved without my brain and I seemed to fly over the blocks and miles. We came to my destination and stopped, it was nothing but a forest of trees and a wandering stream. Not pausing I stepped over the water and cut through the trees, my pace became faster and faster as I moved through the forest. We broke into a clearing minutes later and I stopped again. This time I didn't continue right away. Instead I looked at the figure sitting on a large log, there head down, hands folded in their lap. A large red velvet gown with flowing sleeves and a huge hood, hid the shape and identiy from me.   
  
"Khalida," I whispered her name as I stepped forward.   
  
The head lifted and the figure rose, I stopped and felt myself twist inside. They took three steps toward me and a gust of powerful wind rose up. The hood fell away and revealed her young beautiful face. Her thick black hair fell in waves into the hood, her eyes were bright with the stars as she smiled at me.   
  
"Hello Araceli."   
  
I smiled and relaxed, " Why did you allow Rohen to die?"   
  
She sighed and looked at the body over Kodiak's shoulder. " I couldn't save him, just as I couldn't save myself. He gave himself to death long before I could have caused it."   
  
It took me a moment to understand, " He made Jourden awake?"   
  
"I believe so," She sighed heavily, " I am not clear on his motives, but it is very likely."   
  
"I don't mean to be rude here," Kodiak said sharply, " But, what are we supposed to do now? We have a rogue we can't kill, a majorly fucked up family and an undead human. This is not what we were sent to deal with."   
  
She smiled and it made her more beautiful. " Relax, everything will make sense in the end. For now sit down, we have much to discuss and little time do so."   
  
Turning away from us she headed back to her seat and I followed. The packs hesitated but had no choice but to follow. Kodiak dropped the body beside him as he sat down. Delmira stood up and pour a handful of powder into the empty fire pit. Whispering a few words she sat down and fire sparked to life, it wasn't a large roaring inferno, just a small fire, to keep her warm.   
  
"You were sent here to take down Jourden, yes?" She asked.   
  
Kodiak nodded, " But this guy is apparently unbeatable."   
  
"That is not so Mr. Kodiak, he is quite powerful that is so, but not invincable. I am sure you have taken down some powerful vampires in your time, or at least heard of their deaths."   
  
He nodded, " Every once in a while."   
  
"So you see, it's possible. Jourden is only scary because he's not your run of the mill vampire. His powers come from a different source, a source that is similar to my brothers." She motioned to me and I shifted my seat. " With Araceli's help you could easily defeat him, it's just a matter of trying."   
  
I frowned, " Since being Embraced my powers have vanished."   
  
She shook her head, dark strands fell into her face. " Not so, they have amplified if anything. You have just blocked them off, like you always used to do as a boy."   
  
"So Cibran could kill this creep?" Someone asked quickly.   
  
"Theoritcally yes," She said and looked at Rohen's body, " It's just accepting the truth about what he is."   
  
I was stunned into silence for a few minutes, " I have accepted what I am."   
  
"Really?" She challenged me for a moment, " Then tell me brother, when is the last time you didn't take a life and feel guilt?"   
  
My mouth opened and closed a few times, " How do you know that?"   
  
She smiled, " You think that because you are a vampire, I have no connection to you? I am Queen my dear man, there is nothing that I cannot touch."   
  
"Why can't you take care of Jourden?" I asked harshly and she frowned at me, " You made him, you can defeat him."   
  
I saw her face darken and worried that she may get mad at me. " Araceli you came here to do a job, he is your job. I was put on this earth to rule my people, that is what I intend to do. Now more then anything is when they need me. There are snakes among the children in our house, someone has to get rid of them."   
  
"She's right Cibran." The second pack leader said, " We did come here to take care of Jourden and that was all."   
  
" You may not like it Araceli, but that is the way of it. The next time we meet things will be more even between us." She said it gently, " But now you are still on your road and I am still at home."   
  
Staring at her I understood her meaning and hated her for it. She had been right about everything and I didn't like it. Just as I didn't want to admit to having powers, I didn't want admit to still being on my path. I was dead and that was supposed to be the end of it. No hunting of vampires or words of wisdom from my sister, just peace and quiet. But as I sat there with the fire warming my icy hands and the presence of the others around me, I knew it wasn't ever going to be that. 


End file.
